The IEMA sends along their own statement on the re-rating of GTA by the ESRB:

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA (July 20) - The trade group representing the
$10-billion-dollar computer and video game industry's leading retailers, the
Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA), has issued the following
statement regarding the revocation of the “Mature” rating for the controversial
video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

“The ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) notified us late this afternoon
Eastern Time that they have revoked the “Mature” rating previously issued for
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, following an extensive investigation. Our members
intend to immediately cease all sales of the game until existing inventory can
either be re-stickered with an AO (Adults Only) rating, or exchanged for new
versions of the game that has the hidden content removed and the original M
(Mature 17+) rating intact. Though not a policy, IEMA members generally do not
carry AO-rated games any differently than we do not carry X-rated videos or
DVDs, thus it is likely that our members will be removing all copies of the
current version and re-stocking with the updated version.”

We understand that several non-IEMA retail companies intend to continue selling
the current version, so we would refer all media inquiries to those respective
corporations.

The whole 'Hot Coffee' thing is a ridiculous immature embarrassment to Rockstar plain and simple.

Yes they are so embarrased, the guys who wrote dialog for what you say after the hooker gets out of your car are very embarrased by having this uncovered.

They did not erase it from the code because they WANTED it to be found!

NO WAY!!!!!!!

San Andreas is a fine game, just as GTAIII and Vice City were, there was no need for such foolishness as this to even ever exsist.

So the hookers are OK, the pimping is OK, the nonstop violence is OK, but the concentual SEX... WHAT THE HELL! THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE! Our country is so backwards.

their developers simply have no taste

Personally I think the sex game is stupid, but it amused me that they had it, maybe they are pathetic and tasteless but at least they have a sense of humor. Which you seem to enjoy, as long as it involves blowing someones head off.

I find it incredibly amazing that with all the things in San Andreas and other GTA games, the TASTELESS part is the *hidden*, *clothed* and *concentual* sex minigame.

Can someone PLEASE fix our culture?! PLEASE!!!!!!!!

Rockstar was dead wrong for this and should pay the price

Yes they will pay the price of being one of the most successful game developers in history, and having more publicity than anyone could ever hope to buy.